Young Solin innovator Ivan Mrvoš, the man behind the first smart bench in Europe, has been nominated for one of the most prestigious awards in the world.
Precisely, Ivan Mrvoš has been nominated for MIT Technology Review's ‘Innovators Under 35’ award in Europe this year, prompting the entrepreneur to thank his family, friends, fans, and dedicated followers on his Facebook page this afternoon, reports Index.hr on March 20, 2018.
“I have been nominated for one of the most recognized awards in the world, by one of the most famous universities in the world - MIT. And that's exactly how it started - they came across Include's posts on Linkedin and quickly realized that we are not just a bench with a mobile phone charger. The ‘Innovators Under 35’ award has been won by Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page, Jonathan Ive, Max Levchin... Even if we do not win the award, the nomination itself is a miracle,” said Mrvoš in a Facebook status.
The 22-year-old from Solin founded Include Ltd. with the vision create state-of-the-art urban furniture for public spaces, linking IoT solutions and green technology to build smart city solutions. Today, the Steora smart bench is the most advanced street bench ever designed which combines multiple components: solar panels, free wireless Wi-Fi, 15 sensors, USB and wireless charging, street lighting, security surveillance, and a platform for advertising to respond to the needs of an urban space.
Last year, Include was selected among the 50 best innovators in Europe, and on that occasion, Ivan Mrvoš presented the company at the European Parliament in Brussels during the European Innovation Summit.
Last year, the company grew by 350 percent and has so far sold over 500 smart benches globally, in 140 cities and municipalities, and in 27 countries on five continents.
As far as future plans are concerned, in the first two months of this year, distribution agreements have been signed in Scandinavia, Spain, Germany and Switzerland. Most contracts refer to exclusive dealerships that should result in the sale of an additional 500 smart benches.
There are negotiations in progress to discuss terms to cooperate in Portugal, France, Ireland, UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Austria, Italy, Estonia, Greece, Russia and Canada. In most of these markets, the first test benches were delivered, with a minimum of four new exclusive contracts expected.
Also, former exclusive partners in Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Australia, Qatar and UAE continue to be successful in their markets, and the first test benches will be exported to a more exotic market - Singapore and India.
Translated from Index.hr
